NBC’s Wicked: One Wonderful Night delivered a glittering celebration of music and magic but not without controversy. Viewers tuning into Thursday’s two-hour special may not have realized one moment was missing: a pointed political remark from Wicked star Marissa Bode.
Bode, who originated the role of Nessarose Thropp in the upcoming Wicked film and uses a wheelchair, appeared toward the end of the broadcast to introduce Cynthia Erivo’s powerful performance of the show’s defining anthem, “Defying Gravity.” During the televised version, she praised the song as “an ode to authenticity” and “believing in yourself no matter what obstacles the world puts in your way.”
But that wasn’t everything she said. Attendees at the September 24 taping at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles saw Bode telling the audience that the song’s message extended to “standing up to a power-hungry dictator.” That line was cut entirely from NBC’s final broadcast.
The network has not commented on the edit, but the omission has drawn attention online, with fans speculating that the network was attempting to steer the special away from any political undertones – much of which the audience cheered and made chants referring the storyline of the musical to the current day president Donald Trump.
The Wicked story, both on stage and in its new two-part film adaptation, is filled with anti-authoritarian themes. Erivo’s Elphaba, the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, is branded a traitor by the manipulative Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum) after uncovering his corrupt plans against the animal citizens of Oz. Bode’s cut line clearly reflected that allegory, and, to some, echoed modern struggles for justice and identity in a fraught political climate.
Bode, a vocal advocate for disability and racial justice, has never shied away from speaking her mind. Just weeks before the special was taped, she drew attention for comments on TikTok defending her refusal to show sympathy for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot in September. The actor said she would not apologize for “rejecting bigotry,” calling Kirk “a man whose whole career was built on being a bigot.”
Despite the controversy, Wicked: One Wonderful Night was a star-studded celebration of the beloved musical. Alongside Bode and Erivo, the special featured Ariana Grande as Glinda, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, and surprise appearances by original Broadway witches Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who joined Grande and Erivo for an emotional performance of “For Good.”
